ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
A Jacob Ngulube goal was all Nkana needed to beat ZESCO United and claim the bragging rights between Zambia’s biggest clubs.
Nkana came into yesterdays mouthwatering encounter having lost on the road to Zanaco while ZESCO United beat Kabwe Warriors 0-2 in an entertaining fixture played at the Godfrey Ucar Chitalu stadium on Wednesday.
National Team and Nkana Head Coach Beston Chambeshi was looking for a quick response from his side following their loss to Zanaco.
On the other hand, ZESCO United Head Coach Numba Mumamba was hoping to mount back to back victories against the Wusakile Boys.
As expected, the game started at high tempo with the hosts charging forward in search of an early goal.
Nkana’s talisman Alex ‘Bazo’ Ng’onga was the man at the helm of unsettling the visitors defense and it took him only 3’ minutes to unlock a powerful shot which was aimed as a cross but ended up in the palms of Gregory Sanjase.
The hosts did most of the pressing in the initial exchanges, but it was ZESCO United who had the clearest of chances on target with Chitiya Mususu’s close range effort saved by Kelvin Malunga’s outstretched left leg.
A 16’ minute long range freekick from Fackson Kapumbu was yet again comfortably saved by Kelvin Malunga to keep Nkana confidently in the game.
ZESCO United would later regret not converting their first clear cut chance after the hosts scored through Ngulube who coolly slotted in the games only goal following Gregory Sanjase’s failure to completely parry the ball which landed in the path of the Nkana player.
Led on by their fervent die-hard fans and Ngulube’s goal, Nkana defended and attacked with everything they had in their arsenals.
ZESCO United responded in style with Chitiya Mususu and Mukuka Chanda combining only for the formers powerful shot to be stopped by Malunga, the busiest of the two goalkeepers.
Former Nkana attacking midfielder, Kelvin Kampamba made one of his solo runs on the left wing beating two of his opponents but Malunga blocked his effort with an outstretched leg.
However, it was the hosts who would finish the half on a better note with Ngo’nga’s thunderbolt which went inches over the bar.
ZESCO United started the second half looking for an equalizer but it was Ngonga who tested Sanjase first with a weak effort that the visitors shot stopper happily collected.
Ngonga’s was proving a menace in the ZESCO United defense coming close once again in the 60’ minute and 63’ minute headers which failed to trouble Sanjase.
In the 68’ minute Chitiya Mususu found himself one on one with Malunga after a fine interchange of passes with Edward Lungu only for the former Zanaco striker to shoot wide.
That miss would sum up what was an afternoon of missed opportunities for the visitors who will now be hoping to lift themselves when they face Kansanshi Dynamos on Wednesday.
Mumamba bemoaned his sides continued trend of not burying their chances when it matters the most.
“We are disappointed with the result because we didn’t expect such an outcome. This is a game that we controlled and created a lot of chances which could have made the difference. We were not just clinical at goal.
“I am happy with everyone, we did very well and controlled the game but the only problem we face is finishing. On several occasions we found ourselves in good scoring positions, but our finishing is lacking.”
The ZESCO United gaffer disputed that fatigue could have played a role in yesterdays defeat after playing Kabwe Warriors on Wednesday.
“We have a big squad which can withstand a congested line of fixtures. That won’t be our excuse for failing to win today. The element of fatigue doesn’t come in. We weren’t just clinical on target,” Mumamba added.
Mumamba defended his decision to substitute Kampamba in the first half of the game.
“I think you saw that Kelvin wasn’t himself today. He was too casual, he made many breakdowns. He did not do enough to help the team when we were defending. Football is about working together when you are in possession and when you lose the ball.
But for him when we lost possession of the ball, he wasn’t helping so we thought of substituting him and bringing in somebody who could work with us both ways.”
ZESCO United will this Wednesday host Kansanshi Dynamos at the Levy Mwanawasa stadium before clashing against in form and league leaders Green Buffaloes at the same venue on Saturday.
Author: Desmond Katongo
